Megalurus punctatus

Just a glimpse of one of the most skulky, bush-bound birds of Tiritiri Matangi: the Fernbird, or Matata in Maori.

The Fernbird is endemic to New Zealand, part of a sort of grab bag family of birds that don't quite fit in to the Old World Warblers. The grouping is called Locustellidae and includes the grass warblers, bush warblers, and grassbirds, more common of the eastern hemisphere. Most species stick to skulking around in shrubs and grasses. They have mostly brownish, streaky coloration and sport long tails.

The Fernbird's tail (unfortunately not very visible here) makes up nearly half the bird's length and is a beautiful scraggly thing unlike any other birds ' in New Zealand. The term "fernbird" comes from its preference for inhabiting ferns, though it is primarily a bird of wetlands. This type of habitat is one that has been extensively decimated in the country, so the Fernbird has suffered steep declines in population, though unlike many other endemics it can still be found throughout the North Island and some regions of the South.

This particular bird above is the first Fernbird I've ever seen. It was a terrific ambassador for the species. I heard it calling from a bush just off the beach, and when I followed the peeping, there it was, sitting inside, rather unconcerned with my arrival. It sat there for some time, allowing me to maneuver around twigs and leaves and things to get the clearest shot I could. So obliging!